What if Africa’s next transport boom ran on sunshine and local smarts? A team from Stellenbosch University set out to find out, riding a locally built electric motorbike 6,000 kilometers from Kenya to South Africa using only solar power and battery storage. Their journey proved that electric two-wheelers aren’t a distant dream—they are ready for African roads today. With roughly 27 million motorbikes across sub-Saharan Africa, electrifying them will cut emissions, slash operating costs by nearly 40%, and reduce dependence on imported fuel. Crucially, the study highlights a larger opportunity: building these vehicles locally to create jobs and tailor designs to African conditions. However, scaling this vision will depend on supportive policies, regional cooperation, and investment—turning a promising experiment into a transformative industry.
The Conversation
